Bicycle



(No Model.)

H. W. L ER.

A.BICY

No. 565,472. Patented Aug. 11, 1896'.

7 i h //l/l x, y mw j UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IIOIVARD IV. LESTER, OF EAST HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO FREDERICK C. ROCKVELL, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

BICYCLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 565,472, dated August 11, 1896.

Application filed April 24, 1895. Serial No. 546,999. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern,.- an adjustment longitudinally independent of Be it known that I, HOWARD WV. LESTER, it is a compound or double bevel-gear. One a citizen of the United States, residing at gear, 14, is cut smaller than the othergear,15, East Hartford, in the county of Hartford and and these gears may be formed from one piece 5 5 5 State of Connecticut, have invented certain of metal, or they may be formed separately new and useful Improvements in Bicycles, of and secured together. In the hub of this which the following is a specification. compound gear is a spring-plunger 16, and in The invention relates to the class of chainthe axle are registering notches or sockets to less bicycles which are known as gear-mareceive the end of this plunger. When the 6o 1o chines;77 and the object of the invention is to plunger is drawn outward, this compound provide a simple, cheap, and durable arrangegear is free to move longitudinally on the axle; ment for such machines which can be quickly but when the plunger engages one of the adjusted for varying the ratio between the notches the compound gear is held against revolutions of the pedal-crank and the drivlongitudinal movement and then rotates with 65 15 ing-wheel, whereby the force transmitted to the axle in that fixed position.

the driving-wheel can be changed for increas- The shaft 17, which is supported by any ing the speed or for decreasing the power resuitable antifriction-bearings, extends rearquired to drive the machine. ward through one of the side tubes of the Referring to the accompanying drawings, frame to a point where it bears a gear that 7o 2o Figure 1 is a side View of amachine provided meshes with a gear connected with the drivwith the invention, and Fig. 2 is a greatly-ening-wheel 3 for revolving that wheel, as is larged horizontal section through the driving common in other machines of this class, and mechanism atthe crank-axle of such machine. near the front end this power-transmitting In the views, 1 indicates the tubular frame shaft bears a bevel-gear 18. This bevel-gear 75 2 5 of a bicycle which is supported on any comis keyed to the shaft, so that while it will romon style of steering-wheel 2 and drivingtate with the shaft it may be moved indewheel 3. Between the wheels the frame bears pendently longitudinally thereon. The hub a housing 4, which tightly incloses the interof this gear bears a spring-plunger 19, that is meshing gears that transmit the power from adapted to engage locking-notches in,y the So 3o the pedal-cranks 5 to the shaft that extends shaft. lVhen the plunger engages a notch, rearward and bears a gear in mesh with a the gear is held fast to the shaft; but when gear connected with the driving-wheel. This the plunger is pulled out the gear is free to housing may be made of any convenient light move along the shaft. sheet metal and put on and finished to suit When it is desired to run the machine 8 5 3 5 the taste. Within this housing the frame is slowly and have considerable power, as for formed of a yoke-shaped casting or forging climbinghills or traveling overheavy or rough 6, of suitable metal, to which the frame-tubes roads, the spring-plunger holding the transare secured in any common manner. Each mitting-shaft gear 1S is released and that gear side of this forging is provided with a perfoset at the end of the shaft, and then the com- 9o 4o ration, and in sockets made adjacent to these pound gear on the crank-axle when its plunperforations are placed ball-cups 7, bearing ger is released is set so that the smaller gear balls S. Cones 9 are secured to the crank- 14 meshes with the gear on the transmittingaxle 10 outside of the balls for forming the shaft, as shown in Fig. 2. If it is desired to bearing-support of the axle. Outside of the increase the ratio of rotation between the 95 45 cones upon the axle are placed washers 1l, crank-axle and the transmitting-shaft, as for and outside of these are screwed the clampspeeding over good ground, the plunger of ing-nuts 12. Inside of the ball-cups in suitthe gear 18 of the transmitting-shaft is drawn able recesses are placed packings 13 for preout of the rst notch and the gear moved lonventing the entrance of dirt or oil around the gitudinally along the shaft until the plunger 10o 5o axle into the interior. Upon this crank-axle engages the second notch, so as to again hold and keyed so as to rotate with it and yet have the gear fast. Then the plunger holding the compound gear is pulled out so that the larger gear 15 can be pushed forward and made to engage with the teeth of the gear on the trans mitting-shaft. When in this position, the plunger holding the compound gear encounters the second lockingenotch in the crankaXle and holds the larger gear on the crankaxle in mesh With the smaller gear on the transmitting-shaft.

The gears are held firmly and securely to the respective crank-axle and transmittingshaft, so that they Will rotate Without danger .of breaking away and without liability of I claim as my invention- In combination with the driving mechanism of a bicycle, a pedal crank-axle, a compound bevel-gear having teeth in two dierent circles, keyed so as to rotate With but have adjustment longitudinally upon said crank-axle, an adjustable catch connecting the hub of the compound gear With the crankaXle for holding the compound gear against longitudinal movement upon the axle, a transu mitting-shaft extending from the crank-axle to the d1iving\vheel, a bevelgear having teeth adapted to mesh with the teeth of either of the compound gears and keyed so as to rotate With but have an adjustment longitudinally on said transmitting-shaft, and an adjustable catch connecting the hub of this gear with the transmitting-shaft for holding the gearagainstlongitudinal movement upon said transmitting-shaft, substantially as specified.

IIOWARD XV. LESTER.

Witnesses:

II. R. WILLIAMS, S. H. SMITH. 

